The fighter with no past
by Kai-kido
Summary: They thought it was all over, they thought their lives were gone, but life (and Oogway somehow) has a funny way of intertwining us in ways we would never expect. Rated M for Violence,mentions of sex, drugs and just life in general.
1. Chapter 1 Wiping the slate clean

Chapter 1: Wiping the slate clean

 **(Mainland China sometime in the 1700s)**

"You… can't defeat me!" A snow leopard, Tai Lung, said as he climbs out of a leopard-shaped hole. Bruises were present all over the battered warrior, desperation in his eyes as he finally climbs out of the hole. His purple silk pants tearing near his thighs and heels, his fur ruffled and his body needing a break from all the punishment was stumbling and tripping all over the place, from the panda, Po, who had just so beaten him in dominant fashion. Po just smiled as he knew the fight had already been won and that the leopard was denying the truth.

"You're just a, big, fat, panda," Tai Lung said flabbergasted, not truly grasping the dangerous situation he was in. Angered and fearing defeat, he threw a punch with no power or technique to try and wipe that smug look off of the panda's face, but seeing the punch like a flying dumpling, Po was quick to catch the punch, his belly jiggling slightly from the power, and simply retorted,

"I'm not just a big fat panda," Po smiles and pauses for dramatic effect,

"I'm THE big fat panda," He says and raises his pinky teasingly as Tai gasped on horror and shock.

"The Wuxi finger hold!" Tai exclaims, his thoughts going into overdrive on how he figured out a move even he didn't know how to perform.

"Oh you know this hold?" Po says, both knowing the outcome gave the leopard and panda wildly differing emotions. Thinking he figured out the solution. The Leopard exclaimed,

"You're bluffing, You're bluffing! Shifu didn't teach you that," trying his hardest to remain on top of the situation. The panda only retorted

"nope," causing the Tai to smile in such a feeble and pathetic manner before adding

"I figured it out," Po stated with a smile and confident look that caused Tai to wince from shock and at what was about to come next

"Skadoosh,"

Thus, Tai Lung, who spent the last 10 years of his life locked away, who had his life taken away from him from his own pride and arrogance, who had his face sat on by THE big fat panda would leave all he's ever known behind. The last thing that he thought of before losing consciousness and possibly before his death was 'is this it? Is it all over?'

 **(Los Angeles, CA USA, 2013)**

"Come on Jack! Get in on him! Fuck him up!" An ocelot, Danny, screams out from his corner of the ring. The ring in question was holding a referee and two boxers trying to kill each other with their, families, friends and a few fans cheering on each of them. The boxing match at hand held a clear favorite. With the other getting constantly beat and battered from the ruthless assault. Jack tried desperately to defend himself from his opponent but whatever he did, he would be countered. When he jabbed at his opponent, the jab would just be batted away with a swift counter sure to come, if he threw out a hook, his opponent would just duck and have the punch harmlessly brush over his hair before continuing to punish Jack. There was almost nothing Jack could do. His opponent was just reading him like a simple childrens book of unfathomable pain. The shots just kept on coming and coming and coming to the point that Jack thought this whole fight was just a hellish nightmare. His jet black hair being violently thrown from side to side from the punches. His voice screaming in pain whenever a blow landed on his ribs. His left eye nearly swollen shut. At this point, he didn't care about winning or losing, he just wanted to survive.

"Stop!" the ref yelled as he got between the two fighters. Though none of the two noticed, the bell had rung concluding the end of the 2nd round. Jack sighed with relief and painfully got over to his corner. His coach and second scrambling to make every second count in the rest period.

"Dammit Jack, you have to disengage. The more time he's on you, the more time you're getting beat." His coach yelled. Jack took out his mouthpiece and spat out some bottled up blood within his mouth into a bucket his second gave him before panting like a dog. Jack opened his mouth to try and protest before his coach, sensing this, grabbed the sides of Jack's head and yelled

"Not now Jack! The more you talk, the less energy you have, now do you want to bitch at me and lose this fight or do you want save the complaining and possibly win?" Danny's ocelot eyes burning into Jack's with such brutal authority that Jack was unsure if he was gonna get socked in the face by him. Jack, understanding the gravity, quickly shut up knowing time was of the essence. Danny sighed, cooling down his temper, and looked over to Jack's opponent on the opposite side on the ring before turning back to Jack with a worried but hopeful face.

"Your eye has gotten worse, you have to protect it. Ryan, ice pack now." Danny said, cooling down, Jack's second, Ryan, an arctic fox and Jack's friend and second, was quick to rummage through the coach's bag for medical items and find the ice pack.

"This'll sting Jack," as Ryan placed the ice pack firmly on Ryan's bare cheek to quell the swelling. At the same time Danny was thinking of a game plan, his eyes slightly widening with the pupils, reflecting the damage Jack received right back at him. Jack took this time to catch his breath and unscramble his mind, he tried to head his coach's warnings but he just couldn't. Fear and desperation were steadily taking over.

"I know there isn't much you could've done that round, but I think I see his weakness." Dan said causing 's jack's only eye to light up but still be wary of whats to come.

"whenever he throws a right, he puts his guard down and resets before attacking you all over again. You hear me?" he said to Jack who just starred into the other fighter. The boxer was just trying to think if he could continue or not as time seemed to slow down, either that or his mind was going into overdrive.

"Jack?" His own name didn't even register to him he was just so deep in thought as his life just seem to come flashing before his eyes as he tried desperately to come up with the solution at hand

"Jack!" His coach shouted at him with his faint Hispanic accent coming out, his orange fur blazing like fire from the spotlight above the ring. This time, Jack heard the holler and glazed over eyes quickly snapped into that of sharp and vigilance

"when you dodge the right and he puts his guard down, I want the fiercest left hook you have. I want your sole reason for existence to be this one hook, you understand!?"

Jack had to pause to unscramble his head to sink in what was said to him, before nodding at his coach. Right when that happened, the referee stepped into the middle of the ring.

"Seconds out," He said as he motioned both fighters to get off there stool and commence the fighting. As Jack got off his stool, scared but ready none-the-less he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Ryan with a worried look on his face but, smiling all the while.

"Please be safe, who's going to cook for me if you're out?" He joked which caused Jack to chuckle with him, doing a good job at lifting the tension of the situation. Jack then turned to face his opponent right when the *ding* from the bell, resuming the fight.

Jack's opponent, not wanting to lose his lead in the fight, leap out and tried to jab at Jack who in turn blocked the punch and strode to the side to gain more space while also tentatively jabbing at his opponent. The opponent just swatted the jabs away with his right hand, trying to find the golden opportunity to land the knockout through the barrage. The crowd cheering at both fighters. Jack and his opponent, for the first time in the match, were on equal footing and Jack was starting to regain his confidence. With his heart racing, blood pumping and the crowd cheering. Jack was in his zone, picking his exchanges with his opponent. First, a 1-2 combination that nearly grazed his opponent than a left hook when the fighter tried to retaliate with a jab of his own.

"Heh, he's actually doing it, he can do it. GO JACK!" Ryan said to Danny then to Jack. His tail wagging excitedly,

"... COME ON JACK DIG INTO HIM" Danny yelled. While he was extremely proud and relieved that Jack was holding his own there was a thickness to the air and his mannerisms showed it. Danny tried not to show but his tail was twitching nervously, expecting something bad... very bad coming.

The exchanges were plentiful, each coach shouting at their fighter commands for each of them to follow. The ref standing vigilant and watching both of the fighters. The exchanges continued with Jack getting hit at times but powering through with shots of his own. Finally, after about a minute in the round, Jack's opponent started punching with his right. Sure enough, his opponent did lower his guard after his punch. Jack did his best to find an opportunity to capitalize on this dangerous mistake. After several exchanges, that golden opportunity presented itself. The arena went dark and time slowed to a crawl for Jack.

first blocking the jab from the left,

then dodging the punch from the right,

and his opponent still lowers his guard.

Here was the chance, here was the victory, with all his strength and power, Jack threw everything he had into his left hook. His hazel eyes shining with confidence. The opponent saw the punch, but much to Jack's shock, just smiled. Within an instant, he ducked and weaved behind the hook, ready to counter attack with a hook of his own. Jack, with the left side of his face still open braced himself for what was to come next,

 ***BAM***

the crowd was sure that a they heard a gunshot but instead, Jack was met with the hardest punch he ever received in his career, so much so that it split the side of his nose and nearly broke his cheek. A shock-wave forming on his face.

Suddenly, his world was a daze, his vision was out of focus, the cheers and shouts were becoming little more than white noise. He started to walk and stumbled into his opponent who just pushed him against the ropes. The lights in the arena blinding Jack as he broke down into pure instincts. Another punch landed on Jack's face, blood from his nose and mouth splattering onto the canvas. Danny and Ryan screaming some commands or something at Jack, not that he could hear any of it. Jacks head snapped back and, running on instincts alone, he covered his head with both hands to regain his composure. But his opponent was having none of it. As Jack was focused on protecting his face, he felt the punches going to his ribs.

Hit after hit, those shots felt like syringes filled to the brim with the most painful concoction imaginable. Jack could feel the blood building up within his mouth, his teeth barely able to hold onto his mouth guard. There was a pause much to Jack's shock and confusion. He then felt his hands be forcibly pulled down by his opponent. Jack saw the pure and potent hatred and anger from his opponent's eyes and quickly realized what he was about to do. With all the strength left in him. Jack tried desperately to lift his guard back up as his opponent lowered his head, braced his feet and...

 ***CRACK***

The crowd gasp and yelled as Jack was headbutted by his opponent. Skull colliding with skull, Jack's nose was surely broken, blood steadily running down both his nostrils.

At that point, Jack just couldn't take anymore, his knees buckling to all the punishment he received from the unstoppable force that took the form of the man towering above him. As he fell onto the floor, Jack could only think of how soft the ground was. Laying on his back, mouth and nose bleeding down the left side of face, Jack could see his white towel fall into the ring, signifying the end to the fight. He also saw Danny and Ryan racing to him.

"God...Dammit, I can still fight," Jack angrily said to them as he tried propping himself up with his gloves but as he was raising, he started coughing up blood and fell back down. The feeling of dizziness overwhelming Jack. Danny and Ryan get to Jack and try to keep him conscious. They started talking to Jack, begging for him to just stay awake, not that he could hear them. The last thing that Jack thought of before losing consciousness and possibly before his death was 'is this it? Is it all over?'


	2. Chapter 2: A Way Out

**Chapter 2: A Way Out**

 **(Unknown plain of existence,?)**

Tai lung laid nearly lifeless somewhere,. It was just an all black void all around him. The only light in the room was wherever Tai's body came into contact with the floor which gave off a blue almost ocean like light to this void. Think of it like a light in a pool underneath Tai at all times.

Tai just laid on the ground, sleeping to his heart's content, his heavy breathing showing the sheer toll between both his fight with Shifu and his fight with Po took on Tai. Sleeping was something he could almost never find the time back in China, from the prison guards harassing him to the vigilance he had to use while hiding from unknowing villagers. He could finally rest without any thoughts, He could finally rest from the fight. The fight with the panda.

The panda

 **The Panda**

 **THE PANDA!**

With a jolt and a scream, Tai got into sitting posture a crazy look to his eyes. He looked around wildly to see if anyone was about to hurt him as he got into defensive position. He began to hyperventilate as he took in his surroundings, fear encapsulating him as questions just swarmed and swarmed into his head like a tsunami.

 _Where am I? who put me here?_ What is this place? How did I get here? Why just why?

These were just a few questions that Tai wanted to have an answer to, but nothing came to him.

"Tai, whats wrong? _"_ a rather deep yet ethereal voice emerged from Tai's right. Knowing that voice, Tai paused then looked around in this void only to find… a much younger Master Shifu, running at him about 50 yards away.

Tai was confused that his panic attack stopped completely at first, but that confusion soon turned into so much unachievable rage that it would drive anyone to violence, let alone someone with a pride of that of the TRUE Dragon Warrior. After a few seconds of throwing away any amount of logic, Tai, in a blinding and uncompromising fit of hate and rage, got on all fours and sprinting at his former master, his previous pain be damned.

"Tai, are you okay?" Shifu asked, still running with his arms out-stretched.

"YOU TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Tai roared. He then jumped from his position and was ready, no, waiting, no, DYING to bury his exposed claws into his adoptive father's neck.

But then he saw it. He looked into Shifu's eyes and didn't see a hint of anger or sadness or hate or stoical, but that of kindness, worry, and genuine sadness. That didn't matter to him, he came so far and he wasn't about to let some sad face get in the way of him and complete satisfaction. Laser focused, Tai went in for the kill. He was mere inches from Shifu, even hearing his master's breaths.

 _You're mine._ Tai thought. But then defying all means of logic… he just went through Shifu.

This shocked the leopard so much that he lost focus just to have his face meet the ground in what could only be described as "The Wipe-out of the Century" complete with tumbling and a face-plant. As Tai was getting his face off the ground he thought,

 _what the… how, how did that just happen?_ he then heard a yelp of pain which turned into a whimper behind him.

He quickly turned around to find… himself or, rather a younger him, on the ground, clutching his leg and having tears roll down his cheeks. This time, Tai paused shocked but wary. How could this be? It took a few seconds but Shifu managed to reach his son.

"It hurts dad, I think I broke it." the young leopard said, "Please stop it." He begged, a child like innocence and naivety present in his voice, Tai mouthed out those words as well, remembering this exact exchange and how he indeed break his shin from a bad kung-fu kick.

Shifu just stared in empathy at his son while also examining his leg, before using his entire body to prop the injured kung-fu student on one leg. With a grunt of pain, Tai was standing, Shifu was still worried but smiled nonetheless at his son.

"Tai, Come now if you can, we'll get you healed in no time," Shifu reasoned with his Tai. While being used as a walking crutch, He begin to walk with his son hobbling him into the distance.

"Th- thank you, dad." Tai said after about five steps. After a couple more steps they disappeared, like dust in the wind.

Tai stared wide eyed and had to take a moment to try and come up with a logical conclusion. He could feel a pain of guilt and sadness within him, wanting to be in a more simple time. He looked at his paws with a face of reflection, claws still unsheathed then back at where he and Shifu were before well, y'know.

"Memories, they can have such happiness or sadness within them. They bring powerful lessons but can be cruel and tragic sometimes, you of all people should know Tai,"

A raspy and wise yet cheerful voice said. Tai whirled behind and saw a Galápagos Tortoise with a green sash that covered most of his shell as well as a wooden walking stick slowly walking towards Tai. This tortoise was otherwise known as master Oogway, the one that had denied Tai his glory, fame and admiration. Slowly and tentatively, Tai got into striking position, ready to gut him if he made any sudden moves. Oogway just stopped and gave Tai a look of mild disappointment. He just stared at Tai Lung slowly before smirk a small bit as he could tell that Tai was thinking if he could hit Oogway or if he would faceplant again.

"You may try and hit me." Oogway stated, answering Tai's question. Within an instant, Tai launched his fist straight to Oogways face. The fist just fazed through Oogway. Oogway just chuckled a little, knowing that he made a small joke at Tai's expense and that the sensation of having a fist bigger than your head faze through you was somehow ticklish.

Tai just retracted his arm and looked at his fist like how a one year old kid would stare at it then back at Oogway. Seeing the chuckle from him made Tai force down a small blush underneath his fur and just glared at his ghostly tormentor. As Tai put his fist down he asked "Why are you here? Just to laugh at me? I thought you were wise, not petty," He stated that last part while looking the other way. Almost as if bracing himself if Oogway was about to nerve strike him.

This made Oogway stopped chuckling. He paused and gave Tai a thoughtful expression. The floor illuminating both of their bodies in a blue and almost relaxing light.

"always quick to the point," Oogway paused to think about what he could say next. "It doesn't let you enjoy everything around the conversation Tai. Like this place," Oogway then stretched his ..."arms"? Referring to the plain of existence itself. This caused Tai to look at Oogway then at his surroundings, he saw next to nothing and made him wonder if Oogway went fully insane.

"If you're always focusing on one point in a picture, then you will never take in the beauty of the whole space." He paused again to let that statement sink into Tai's head

"Think of it like a forest." The exact moment Oogway said forest, trees of varying species and sizes began to pop up around both of them. Tai yelp and immaterially and got into a vigilant position with Oogway just smiling at Tai's fear, as well as understanding that this is the first time Tai has experienced this place. After the trees stopped sprouting everywhere, Oogway continued on with his monologue, walking past Tai and motioning for him to follow which Tai eventually did showing a tad bit of contempt.

"There's a saying, If you care for only one leaf, then you won't ever care the tree," As Tai and Oogway walked past a gigantic Chinese Beech, it quickly began to wither with all of of its leaves quickly blowing away from it, like birds on a recently disturbed telephone line, until only one leaf was left. It took a few more seconds but that leaf then flew away as well, Tai and Oogway both staring at it as it flew off to wherever it may land. The Beech then began to shrink and go back into the floor until there was no sign of it left.

if you care for only one tree then you won't care the forest." Oogway continued as they walked to a nearby Peach tree, when they reached it, everything save for the aforementioned peach tree began to wither and die just like the Beech before them. Before Tai could react, he felt a metric ton of leaves hit his chest and his face. It was so bad that he had to used one arm to cover his face while the other was bracing himself with the peach tree. Oogway just retreated his head into his shell, laughing under his breath when he could see Tai's predicament. When all the leaves past and all the trees went back underground, it was only Tai, the Oog, and the peach tree. Oogway and Tai, began to walk past the peach tree but not before the tortoise gave the tree a light tap. A perfectly rounded and ripe peach falling softly into Oogway's hand. Smiling at the quality of it, Oogway gave the tree a light pet almost as if an owner would pet their dog.

"But when you care for the forest, then you will understand what it means to truly see," After stating that, the trees began to pop up again but not as adult trees, but as saplings. Oogway then suddenly stopped walking causing Tai to awkwardly stop as well and look back at his philosophical enemy.

"I know you can't understand what that means yet." He stated before walking more to the left of Tai. His stick making tapping noises when he walked. "but you will in time, thats the beauty of time itself," Oogway stated with a reflective stare at what seemed to be at nothing. He then turned to Tai giving him the same look, not that Tai noticed, he was just staring and think about trees age and rebirth so quickly, getting caught up in the moment.

"You still have time. You still have redemption Tai," Oogway quietly said, causing Tai's ears to twitch and turn to face Oogway with a confused look, most of the anger and animosity vacant from his golden eyes.

"What? But, how? We're both dead, I've left my mark. How can I pos-" before Tai could say another word, Oogway lifted his hand as a way to silence the leopard. When Tai did shut up, Oogway then slowly swiped his hand to his left. Somehow, five circles began forming in front the two animals. Each of them showed a different person.

The one farthest to the left showed an older, more-grizzled ocelot, complete with a resting frown, most of the top of his orange head including his long ears were covered by a black beanie. A barley noticeable white beard forming under the front of his jaw. He had a white t shirt on as well as black sweat pants that covered his relatively large but skinny frame and had black spots on his fur from head to toe, almost giving off the impression that he has many birthmarks. Tai then took a good look at his eyes, emerald green. So green in fact it gave off the impression of a venom, almost an unnatural and unwelcoming vibe. Tai got the innate feeling that this is someone not to be messed with.

The one second to the left was that of an Arctic Fox. This fox struck a fighting pose, but was loose and fluid at the same time, giving off a mischievous smile with his glistening brown eyes. Like he wasn't taking any of it seriously. He had almost nothing on except for these black and red fighting trunks on and finger-less gloves with padding where the knuckles should be. Other than that, his entire body covered in a very thin layer of snow white fur which made it easy to show off his toned and conditioned body. This lack of clothing also helped show this fox's tattoos. Tai could count 3 on his upper front body alone. one was of yin and yang. The symbol was situated at the top of his right pec. The other tattoo was a red maple leaf on the farthest left side of his slightly visible rib-cage. The last tattoo was a quote in a language Tai could only see as some form of Latin found on his left shoulder. Tai was interested in this man's appearance, back in China, he barely saw anyone with a tattoo, let alone someone with three.

The one second to the right was that of the tallest rabbit Tai had ever seen, she was around 5'9". and had her arms crossed. Her red hoodie jacket unzipped to show a small bust and light frame as well as a grey shirt with some sort of design on it. The hood over her head had two holes in it to let her ears pop through to avoid discomfort. She had a neutral expression on her face, her blue eyes gave off a gleam of determination. Her brown fur was only interrupted with a white circle that made it look like her left eye had a very large monocle that went back to brown the closer the fur got to the eye. On her left hand, she had two pink boxing gloves tied together by the laces and slung over her back, her fingers acting as a hook. Tai thought that her overall appearance was a very rugged one, almost as if she had nothing to lose and had to climb out of a pit from hell.

The farthest one to the right was of a jacked panther. He had the darkest fur Tai has ever seen, nothing came close. He had a compression shirt on with a design of a tiger on the front with subdued Grey and Blue lines used interchangeably as well as gray sweat pants. His arms were crossed and he was leaning on a wall. While his amethyst-colored eyes looked menacing and threatening, they did have a certain softness and kindness to them that caught Tai off guard. But probably the bigger thing that caught Tai off guard was his 6' 5" tall stature and bulky frame. It honestly looked like Goliath next to Tai's David.

The last person of these circles was a human. Tai had known humans had existed but never got to see one. He had jet black hair that went down to his eyebrows with the hair in the back going down to his neck. He had the same frame and general size of Tai. He had a black short sleeve shirt with running shorts underneath. Tai noticed on his hands were a pair of red gloves with an outline of a falcon or hawk with his talons out in front of him, looking to catch their prey. He gave off a frown with his hazel eyes showing latent anger as well as a tad bit of bitterness to them. He also had a scar running down the left side of his nose as well as one on his right cheek that extended nearly to his ear. There was something… different about this human, something more off-putting, more wrong than a normal person but Tai didn't know what it could be.

"These people will all help you in some way Tai, but know that they need your aid as well," Oogway then noticed Tai staring at the human longer than most of the other images.

"That one might need more help from you then you do with him," Oogway stated with a smile. Tai turned his head back momentarily before looking over the 5 images once again. Tai then walked back and sat down with his legs crossed next to Oogway with an articulate expression.

"So, how?" Oogway then pulled out the peach he had taken seemingly from nowhere. He held it in the palm of his right hand and, with a whirl with his left, the peach began to turn white almost like a ghost. Smoke slightly emanating from it. Finally, stuff seemed to be circling the most albino peach ever… It seemed to be words in Latin, the same Latin as the fox's tattoo. After about a minute of monitoring the change, Oogway looked at Tai and handed the peach over to him.

"This will start and help you on your journey. Just take a bite when you are ready. Or you may choose just to stay here." Oogway said. Tai just looked confusingly. If he did, it would be the most unnatural thing he would have ever eaten. If he didn't, then he would be stuck here, and he doubted that Oogway would stay here as well

"but…why? Why would you do this? All I brought was chaos to the valley." Tai said looking at Oogway suspiciously. Oogway just stared back with a blank look on his face. After a pause that felt like forever Oogway uttered.

"I don't know." With that Tai just looked dumbfounded, the wisest kung-fu master of all of China just said that.

Sighing, Tai then looks at the white peach, tentatively staring at it. For once in his life, he had a choice. Well, less of a choice and more of a rhetorical question. Like hell he wouldn't stay here, only someone that was insane would think to stay here and be alone forever. Tai just got out of a prison where he was the only prisoner. But for some reason, he was getting cold feet. Why? Its the obvious answer, so why was he stopping? It took Tai a few minutes until finnally, he looked at Oogway one last time, and then at the peach. He then took a chunk off the side of the peach. It tasted, bland yet sweet at the same time. After chewing a bit, he then swallowed it. Oogway smiled knowing the path that Tai will now take.

Suddenly something hit Tai, he became very sleepy and began stumbling to the ground. He almost didn't know where up was.

Last thing he saw was Oogway standing over him.

"Goodluck, Dragon Warrior,"


End file.
